Written Answers

Tuesday 12 September 2000

Scottish Executive

Eating Disorders

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8219 by Susan Deacon on 7 July 2000, how much government funding is allocated to support and develop the Scottish Eating Disorders Interest Group.

Iain Gray: It is not possible to disaggregate the contribution made to the Scottish Eating Disorders Interest Group by the NHS and other agency staff. This is an informal group of service providers, users of services and carers drawing local and national attention to eating disorder issues.

  The group has already supported a survey of services in Scotland for people with eating disorders. The results will be published in the Royal College of Psychiatrists Psychiatric Bulletin later this year.

Eating Disorders

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8219 by Susan Deacon on 7 July 2000, how much government funding will be allocated to support and develop the proposed managed care network for eating disorders.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8219 by Susan Deacon on 7 July 2000, when the provision of an inpatient facility for the care and treatment of eating disorders in Scotland might be achieved.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to divert some of the additional money allocated to health services towards the establishment of specialist units dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders in Scotland.

Iain Gray: Local or national decisions on financial and other support for a care network can only be made following detailed consideration of the proposals, once finalised. Existing centres of specialist knowledge will contribute and the overall level of inpatient provision will follow consideration on how any network should develop.

  I expect the planning partners within each health board area to commission services for people of all ages with eating disorders, at all levels of severity, as dictated by local assessments of need. The aim generally is to improve access, break down barriers to smooth care progression, and focus existing expenditure to the best effect for patient care. For children and young people, the expanded inpatient unit at Yorkhill, and the new inpatient unit at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, together with existing facilities, will contribute to the ambition of continuum of care.

  I have already announced a national census of staff availability, and a mapping of psychological therapies’ service provision. Investment has also been made in developing comprehensive services providing psychological therapies in four health board areas. Potential beneficiaries will include adults with eating disorders. The aim is to achieve a realistic waiting time for patients in primary care, and secondary mental health services. The information and benefits flowing from both initiatives will inform future provision, staff training, service planning and organisation.

Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to reduce the amount of internal assessment of pupils from the level that was required in the first year of Higher Still and, if so, whether it will consult teachers on what amount and type of assessment is in the best interests of pupils’ education.

Mr Sam Galbraith: As I announced at the end of June, the SQA are consulting on changes to the English and Communication course, which could involve changing the level of internal assessment. I am meeting the organisations represented on the Higher Still Liaison Group on 13 September and will discuss internal assessment issues with them.

Fisheries

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it has received to the consultation document Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout  issued by the Rural Affairs Department on 5 June 2000.

Mr John Home Robertson: As at 28 August, 86 responses have been received.

Fisheries

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses to the consultation document Conservation of Salmon and Sea Trout  opposed the proposals contained in the document and whether the Parliament will receive a summary of these objections.

Mr John Home Robertson: Responses to the proposals were mixed. Some supported all of them; some were totally opposed; others favoured some but not all. A file containing copies of all responses is available for viewing by MSPs in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, and members of the public by appointment in the library of St Andrew’s House and the Department’s offices in Pentland House.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to reduce discarding of fish at sea and what its policy is on this issue.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Executive is committed to reducing discards of all species. The new EC Technical Conservation Regulation, which came into force on 1 January this year, introduced new measures to reduce discarding. Furthermore, the Scottish Executive recently made regulations requiring the placement of square mesh panels in fishing nets as from 3 August and a reduction in net twine thickness applicable from March next year. These measures will reduce discards of juvenile haddock and whiting.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of fish it estimates has been discarded by fishermen at sea for each of the last three years.

Mr John Home Robertson: Levels of discards are estimated by fish species and sea area. These estimates are given in the Annual Report of the Advisory Committee on Fishery Management. The data below provides the estimated discard rates for the Scottish fleet for the main whitefish species by weight aggregated over the entire North Sea.

  





1997


1998


1999




Cod


18.56%


22.98%


11.81%




Haddock


40.30%


37.58%


40.66%




Whiting


35.92%


35.03%


48.15%




  My department has to rely on data provided by fishermen to supplement estimates provided by our scientists.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent a level of anticipated discards at sea is taken into account when deciding annual quotas.

Mr John Home Robertson: Decisions on the size of quotas are based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). The ICES advice proposes sustainable levels of fishing for the forthcoming year and takes into account the estimated level of discarding from the previous year for key commercial species.

Groundwater Charges

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the economic position of Scottish farming justifies the imposition of new groundwater charges.

Sarah Boyack: Yes. I refer to the answer I gave today to question S1W-9339 in which I have explained that charges have been kept as low as possible whilst still enabling SEPA to move towards recovering the costs of regulation.

Groundwater Charges

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has decided to levy annual groundwater charges on Scottish farmers when these annual charges have been waived in England and Wales.

Sarah Boyack: Our policy is that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) should move toward full recovery of the costs of regulation in line with the polluter pays principle. Charges are determined by SEPA at levels that enable it work towards cost recovery.

  At £123, the annual charge, which covers the cost of periodic inspections for monitoring purposes, is considerably lower than originally proposed during public consultation on the Groundwater Regulations. A number of special arrangements have, nevertheless, been made in Scotland to ease the financial burden on farmers of the regulations. In particular, smaller farmers and crofters can share one set of charges by working collectively to dispose of spent sheep dip, thus reducing substantially the amount they pay each year. The annual charge was also waived in Scotland in 1999-2000 while SEPA determined the first tranche of applications.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is with regard to the comments attributed to Hal Pawson, co-author of the report "Good Practice in Housing Management in Scotland", in Inside Housing magazine, 18 August 2000, regarding the absence of a strategy to deal with low demand housing from the Executive consultation document on housing.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The study, co-authored by Mr Pawson, is not yet completed. The Executive will respond to its full findings in due course.

  The Consultation Paper, Better Homes for Scotland’s Communities, contains proposals to place a duty on local authorities to produce a single housing plan for their areas. We anticipate that this plan should be used to prepare a co-ordinated response to any problems of low demand in their areas. In addition, the Executive has a range of initiatives, including the New Housing Partnership and Social Inclusion Partnership initiatives, which can be used to help tackle problems of low demand in specific areas.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is with regard to the comments published in Inside Housing magazine, 18 August 2000, attributed to John Perry, UK Policy Director of the Chartered Institute of Housing, regarding the implications for housing investment in Scotland if stock transfer ballots fail and the extent to which stock transfer targets in Scotland are ambitious.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive believes that community ownership is the most effective means of securing the step change in investment necessary to improve the condition of Scotland’s council housing and giving tenants a greater say in the ownership and management of their houses. Around £170 million of the New Housing Partnerships programme has been earmarked for community ownership in the period up to March 2002 and the Chartered Institute of Housing has estimated this could attract some £2 billion of investment.

  It will be for tenants to decide, in ballots, whether to support community ownership. In the meantime, there will continue to be significant investment in Scotland’s housing. A further £200 million of the New Housing Partnerships programme is earmarked for development and regeneration projects. In addition, resources are made available for capital investment in council housing, for investment in new and improved housing by Scottish Homes, and for programmes such as the Warm Deal and the Rough Sleepers Initiative. During this year and next, a total of almost £1.2 billion of the Executive’s budget has been allocated to housing programmes.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8781 by Mr Jim Wallace on 7 August 2000, how many of the accused subject to the orders referred to committed one or more subsequent crimes while on bail and whether any were bailed for a second time.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is not possible to provide the level of detail requested from the information held centrally. The table below gives figures for the number of persons with a charge proved in sheriff and district courts in North East Scotland in 1997 and 1998, and the number of these where the main offence involved was aggravated by having been committed while the offender was on bail. Corresponding information for 1999 is not yet available.

  Persons with a charge proved, North East Scotland1, 1997-98

  


SEJD Crime Category2


All persons


Persons with a bail 
aggravation3




1997


1998


1997


1998




Housebreaking


495


466


89


72




Robbery


28


36


5


4




Drug offences


833


817


21


46




Other offences


13,871


14,246


526


549




Total


15,227


15,565


641


671




  Notes:

  1. Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, Peterhead and Stonehaven Sheriff Courts; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray District Courts.

  2. Main offence.

  3. The offence was aggravated by having been committed while the offender was the subject of a bail order.

Oil and Gas Industry

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to promote Aberdeen as a centre of expertise for the oil industry and, if so, what these are.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is currently discussing the suggestion for an oil and gas Centre of Excellence with a number of interested parties, including Scottish Enterprise and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Aberdeen Office. Any firm proposals that emerge to help the oil and gas industry consolidate its position in the Scottish and UK economy would be put forward for consideration by the Industry/Government Pilot Task Force.

Public Transport

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce similar concessionary fare proposals as have been introduced in England.

Sarah Boyack: Most Scottish local authorities already have discounts which are as good or better than the average half-fare proposed for England. A research study is currently underway examining the costs of a variety of different options in Scotland and is due to report soon. In the light of that report and the resources available the Scottish Executive will consider enhancing the benefits already available in Scotland.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated annually for the Scottish Public Transport Fund since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: The Public Transport Fund was announced in the Scottish Transport White Paper. £30 million per year for three years from 1999-2000 has been made available. The allocations detailed below are those made to date from the PTF and include commitments from the previous Government’s Transport Challenge Fund and South Fife Rail.

  

 

1999-2000
£ million


2000-01
£ million


2001-02
£ million




Allocation


29.565


30.003


19.402




  Bids to the next round of the PTF for projects commencing in 2001-02 are currently being considered.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was carried over from the preceding year in terms of the sums allocated from the Scottish Public Transport Fund annually since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: The resources from the Public Transport Fund form part of the local authority non-housing capital allocation provision with local authorities issued with consent under section 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. Carry forward of sums allocated from the PTF is, generally, a matter for individual local authorities within the carry forward parameters that operate in relation to their mainstream capital programmes.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the modal split of the sums allocated from the Scottish Public Transport Fund annually since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: I refer to my answer today to question S1W-9342. The modal split of projects being funded from the Public Transport Fund, its predecessor the Transport Challenge Fund and the South Fife Rail initiative from 1999-2000 is as follows:

  


Mode


1999-2000
£ million


2000-01
£ million


2001-02
£ million




Bus


16.045


12.668


9.107




Rail


6.930


9.385


7.795




Air


0.000


0.323


0.000




Cycle/Walking


0.000


0.802


0.000




Ferry


0.265


0.000


0.000




Harbour


0.000


3.000


0.750




Causeway


0.900


2.000


1.200




Road


5.350


1.350


0.300




National Timetable


0.000


0.350


0.150




Ticketing


0.075


0.125


0.100




Total


29.565


30.003


19.402

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and guidance it has given to the shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Montrose – Usan single track stretch of rail both as part of the East Coast Main Line franchise and separately.

Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise which provides passenger rail services that both start and end in Scotland, and non-binding advice for daytime cross-border services. Since the Bill has not completed its passage through Parliament at Westminster, the Scottish Ministers are not yet able to exercise these powers.

  In advance of legislation, however, the SSRA invited the Scottish Executive to contribute towards the current franchise replacement procedure for the East Coast Main Line. The non-statutory advice submitted by the Scottish Executive included strategic priorities for the route in Scotland but did not prescribe specific infrastructure enhancements or additions. It will be for the train operating company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure to meet the terms of the franchise.

  We will shortly be consulting on strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance for the Scottish passenger rail franchise. During this process we will give consideration to a wide range of issues, including capacity constraints such as those between Montrose and Usan.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) first made it aware of difficulties in the discharge of the SQA’s functions in relation to this years Scottish Examinations.

Mr Sam Galbraith: As I explained in my statement on 6 September, the Scottish Executive took the initiative by raising with SQA in March concerns raised by schools and colleges.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it approved a reduction in the rate of remuneration paid to examination markers or, if this was a matter for which the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) were responsible, whether it was aware of a decision of the SQA to make such a reduction; whether it expressed concern to the SQA about the impact such a decision might have and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all documents relating to a decision on this matter which were passed between it and the SQA.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The payment of markers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. There is no requirement for approval by the Scottish Executive and no documents dealing specifically with this matter passed between the Executive and SQA.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish pupils will this year be disadvantaged in respect of (a) being unable to attain a place in a degree course of their preference and (b) being unable to attain a place in the institution of their first choice as a result of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service being unable to determine applications from Scottish pupils until questions over the integrity of their qualifications were resolved.

Henry McLeish: Conditional offers of university places had been held open while final queries on Higher results were resolved. This has now been done, and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service has passed the information to institutions. Places are being confirmed for students who met the conditions of their offer.

  Those students who did not achieve the grades required for their first choice will be going through the clearing process as would be the case in any year. Institutions have been given additional flexibility on the number of places they can offer so as to ensure those who entered clearing late are treated in the same way as if they had entered the process earlier.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received any assurances from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service that no pupils would be disadvantaged by delays in the proper completion of the process of marking exam papers and, if so, what was the nature of these assurances, on what date or dates such assurances were given and whether it will publish copies of the documents containing such assurances in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Henry McLeish: UCAS confirmed in regular telephone calls with officials in the Executive and with Mr Galbraith on 11 August, that they would process data required to progress Scottish candidates affected by delays in finalising their exam results as quickly as possible. This would allow institutions to make decisions and candidates to be informed of their position as early as possible.

Textile Industry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who are the four champions of the textile industry referred to in its press release SE 1630/2000.

Henry McLeish: I announced the names of the four textiles champions on 12 June in SE Press Release 1687/2000. They are Belinda Robertson (Belinda Robertson Ltd), Michelle Mone (MJM International), James Sugden (Johnstons of Elgin) and Jim Thomson (Hawick Cashmere Company Ltd).

Textile Industry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the agenda is which it has been developing through the Scottish Textile Forum to suit the particular needs of Scotland referred to in its press release SE 1630/2000.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive’s main agenda to support the textile industry was outlined in SE Press Release 1687/2000 of 12 June. The Scottish Textile Forum met today to discuss how this and the action plan announced by the DTI on 6 June can be developed further.

Textile Industry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £10 million textile aid package announced in June for the textiles industry was or will be invested in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave on 5 September to question S1W-8931.

Textile Industry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to train and retain young people in the textiles industry.

Henry McLeish: Training for young people in Scotland is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise through the Enterprise Network. Co-ordinated activity is channelled through the Scottish Textiles Network, a body funded and supported by Scottish Enterprise, the key textiles LECs and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

  There are currently 86 young people undergoing work-based training through the Skillseekers programme, six of whom are training towards Modern Apprenticeships. The Enterprise Network is actively promoting Modern Apprenticeships in order to raise both awareness and the profile of the training programme amongst young people, their parents and employers. The Executive has set the Enterprise Network a target to reduce the proportion of Skillseekers leaving the programme early. Ultimately, it is for employers across all industrial sectors to manage the labour market available to them.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out any research into the number of bed spaces in hotels and planned hotels in the City of Edinburgh and, if so, whether it can provide details of this research.

Henry McLeish: A study has been commissioned by Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board to determine the provision of accommodation in the area. The purpose is to provide information on market trends for potential developers to enable them to make informed decisions on accommodation development.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number and anticipated number is of (a) visitors and (b) bed spaces in the City of Edinburgh over the years from 1997 to 2003.

Henry McLeish: The number of visitors to Edinburgh in each of the years 1997, 1998 and 1999 was approximately 2.4 million. Visitor numbers are expected to increase by 6% annually.

  In 1999, there were a total of 15,301 rooms available in serviced accommodation. Growth in hotel room supply over the next five years is projected at 28%. No growth is expected in the guest house and B&B sectors.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint a Minister solely responsible for tourism and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Donald Dewar: No. The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has responsibility for tourism.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote transport links between Scotland and the Faroe Islands and whether it will categorise any plans it has by mode of transport.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive welcomes any development of commercial air or sea services between Scotland and the Faroes which provide economic or social links. The promotion of these links is primarily a matter for the transport operators involved.